But reading Babel today is already a profound experience in literary immortality.

"If only" is certainly the prevailing mood with the writer whose sole claim to literary immortality is as the author of the first modern uchronic novel.

Leopold Bloom sallied forth and into literary immortality in James Joyce's "Ulysses."

Two long novellas, and very clever ones, in which insect life is an analogue of Victorian society and literary immortality is compared to the real thing.

The closest he ever came to pantheons was his literary immortality.

Early on, Roussel had a vision of literary immortality that convinced him he was destined for greatness.

This time, Barth wants to send himself off into literary immortality - or oblivion - with a full kick line and some old-style musical numbers, tricked out in postmodern clothes.

Anais Nin has little claim to literary immortality.

They all had dreams of literary immortality, and their works were almost unreadable.

And to all those out there still waiting for their shot at literary immortality, never fear.